ii

Small Sailboat Pocket Manual

With Water Riddles

And Memory Tips

By Floyd Jay Winters

http://SmallSailboats.net

iii

Copyright Notice

Copyright © 2016, 2017 by Floyd Jay Winters

Small Sailboats Made Fun and Easy. All rights reserved. This book

or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner

whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher

except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America

Bradenton, FL

I have set up Small Sailboats Made Fun and Easy so you can easily save your legal copy to multiple devices that you may own. You can save this PDF file to your desktop PC, laptop, tablet and also to your smartphone. Please do not give this away to your friends.

This manual is inexpensive and easy to purchase legally by check or PayPal or online at Etsy.

If you have an illegal copy, please see: http://SmallSailboats.net/ to purchase your own copy. Thank you.

iv

About the Author

Professor Floyd Jay Winters is a career instructor and coach, with multiple American Sailing Association Certifications, and multiple Sail and Power Squadron Certifications. He coached championship varsity wrestling for 10 years, going undefeated for two years. He currently gives small sailboat lessons at BiminiBaySailing.com off the beautiful shore of Anna Maria Island, Florida. He also teaches for the Anna Maria Island Sail and Power Squadron.

Jay is experienced on small boats and tall boats and

in between sailboats. He has taught small sailboat sailing to hundreds of students, ranging in age from as young as 7 to over 70. Over the years, he has taught numerous small sailboat sailing summer camps, and has provided sailing instruction to many students in one-on-one and small group sessions, on the water and in the classroom.

Floyd Jay Winters has had several college textbooks

published by major publishers. Jay presents the small sailboat material covered in this manual in a friendly and easy-to-understand way. He uses helpful teaching methods, such as mnemonics and association techniques, to help you remember sailing terms and understand sailing maneuvers. This fun and simple pocket-sized manual includes numerous diagrams and figures to help make sailing a safe and enjoyable sport.

To contact or find more information on Floyd Jay

Winters email wintersfj@gmail.com or visit

BradentonWebsiteDesign.com.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to John C, Gary M, Bruce M, and especially Brian Dahms for their mentoring and help with this project.

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Table of Contents

Copyright Notice ........................................................................ iii

About the Author ............. ............................................................ iv

Acknowledgements ..................................................................... iv

Table of Contents ...................................................... v

Introduction ............................................................... 1

Main Parts of a Sailboat ............................................ 2

Directions on a Boat ..................................................4

Sails and Rigging ...................................................... 5

Parts of a Sail .......................................................... 13

Raising and Storing the Main Sail ............................ 17

Raising the Main Sail .................................................................. 17

Lowering the Main Sail ............................................................... 18 How to Sail a Sailboat by Dave Barry :-) ................... 18

Points of Sail ............................................................ 19

Trim to your Point of Sail ........................................................... 21

Points of Sail Diagram ............................................. 23

Apparent Wind ........................................................ 24

Tacking .................................................................... 25

Tacking with Two Sails and Crew .............................................. 25

Tacking a Small Sailboat with one Sail ...................................... 26

Tacking Diagram ......................................................................... 28

Jibing (Gybing) ........................................................ 29

Controlled Jibe Steps .................................................................. 30

Jibing (Gybing) Diagram ............................................................ 32

Comparing a Tack and a Gybe (Jibe) ........................ 34

Preventing a Stall Getting out of a Stall .................... 34

Get out of a Stall on a Small Sailboat ......................................... 34

Get out of a Stall on a Larger Sailboat ........................................ 34

Capsize Prevention and Recovery ............................ 35

Avoid Capsizing a Small Sailboat ............................................... 35

Slow Down or Stop a Sailboat .................................................... 36

After Capsizing a Small Sailboat ................................................ 36

vi

Right a Capsized Boat ................................................................. 36

Man Overboard (MOB) / Crew Overboard (COB) ..... 37

Man Overboard Broad Reach / Close Reach maneuver .............. 38

Simple Man Overboard (MOB) (COB) Diagram ....................... 39

Heave To ................................................................. 40

Heave To Steps ........................................................................... 40

Basic Anchoring Tips ............................................... 41

Aids To Navigation (ATONS)/Terms ........................ 42

Navigation Chart Symbols .......................................................... 44

Sailing Rules of the Road Right of Way .................... 45

Rules for Passing Other Sailboats ............................................... 46

Some Types of Sailboats .......................................... 48

Dinghies ...................................................................................... 49

Sailboat Classifications ............................................................... 50

Basic Knots .............................................................. 51

Docking and Hitches ................................................................... 51

Stop Knots ................................................................................... 52

Bowline ....................................................................................... 53

Miscellaneous Hints and Notes ................................ 54

Plan Your Sail ............................................................................. 54

Very Simple Navigation .............................................................. 54

Keep the Wind in Your Sail ........................................................ 55

Too much Wind in Your Sail ...................................................... 55

Safe Turns ................................................................................... 55

Before Running Aground Hard ................................................... 56

Docking or Coming to Shore ...................................................... 56

Passing Obstacles ........................................................................ 57

Sculling ....................................................................................... 57

Going Backwards ........................................................................ 57

Be Safe! ....................................................................................... 58

A few old Sailing Phrases used Today ........................................ 59

Answers to Water Riddles ........................................................... 60

Keys to Success ........................................................................... 60

1

Introduction

Small sailboat sailing is absolutely my favorite pastime. I must use my

mind, hands, eyes, balance, and even my backside as I change from side

to side during a tack. Every part of me becomes magically in sync. Yeah,

you must work to make a boat sail, but in the end, you are in complete

control, working with and against one of the most primal, basic forces of

nature — the wind. That’s really cool, and empowering, whether you’re

9 or 69 years old. And unlike a powerboat, as soon as I raise my sails, I

have arrived at my destination — because my destination is the journey,

not some piece of land “over there” that I must rush to get to. No gas, no

noise, no fumes, no pollution. Just the peaceful lapping of the water

against the bow of my boat.

Yet, I vividly remember my first learning experiences on a small

sailboat. Although I knew what a mast, tiller and rudder was, I was so

woefully unprepared. And my instructor started throwing all these new

terms and commands at me. She’d start barking instructions like,

“Ease the main to slow down.”

“Your sail is luffing; fall off.”

“Push the tiller to port before you hit that channel marker, you idiot.”

I needed a short simple manual to quickly present the basic terms and

sailing concepts in a way that I could easily remember and understand. I

wanted well labeled photos and illustrations. I also needed a manual that

I could put on my smartphone and have on me for quick reference.

Goldie Locks like. Not too big, not too short.

I could not find exactly what I needed, so I started writing my own short,

fun and simple-to-understand manual for both my personal use and for

my students. And as a career educator, coach and author who had already

published several instructional books, the rest is history.

So, this book will start with the most basic terms and I’ll share many of

my memory tips and fun water riddles (shown in bold purple) to help

you remember them.

2

Main Parts of a Sailboat

BOW – The front part of a boat. (You bow to the front)

HULL – The main watertight floating body or shell of a boat. (shell/hull)

DECK – The part of boat that sits on top of the hull. (Think sundeck)

MAST – The tall vertical pole that supports the sails. (Both a flag and a

sail are raised up a mast)

BOOM – A horizontal pole connected to the mast; it supports the bottom

of the sail. (If you are not careful, it can go boom on your head)

The main parts of a sailboat, 30 foot Catalina (a Sloop)

3

DAGGERBOARD – A 3 to 4-foot removable

lightweight wood or fiberglass keel used to

stabilize a small sailboat and keep it from

drifting sideways. It is pulled up in shallow

water, as shown at right. (It is inserted like a

dagger through the center of the hull)

CENTERBOARD – A rotating wood or

fiberglass keel used to stabilize a midsized

sailboat. It is secured in the center of the hull

and can be rotated or pivoted down in deeper water. It may be

brought up in shallow water or when sailing downwind.

KEEL – A weighted fin-like spine on the bottom of a larger sailboat

designed to reduce Drift or Sliding when the wind blows from the

side. Keel boats have heavy lead-filled keels to provide Ballast for

stability, greatly reducing the chance of a capsize when a boat

HEELS to one side. (A keel keeps a keel

boat from keeling over)

TILLER – A pole attached to the rudder used to

steer smaller boats. A tiller is moved in the

opposite direction of which the bow of the

boat will move. Moving the tiller left will

steer the bow to the right.

RUDDER – A vertical board hinged to the back

or stern of a boat. It extends down into water

like a fish fin and is used for steering. On

small boats the rudder is typically controlled

by a tiller. Other boats use a wheel to steer.

TRANSOM – A vertical, flat surface at the back or Stern of the hull,

where the rudder and/or motor are attached.

STERN – The aft or after or back part of a boat, where the tiller is

located. (Steer from the Stern, where you keep the Spare tire ☺)

4

Directions on a Boat

FORE – The Forward part of a boat; near the bow.

AFT – The After or back part or a boat; toward the stern.

STARBOARD – The right side of a boat when looking forward. (It

literally meant Steerboard or Steering Oar, because ancient boats

were often steered by a right-handed man holding a large oar on the

right side at the back of the boat.)

PORT – The left side of a boat when looking forward. Early boats were

docked on the left side when in port to keep from crushing the

steering oar located on the right side. Remember, when you are out

to sea you have left port. Also, both port and left have 4 letters.

BEAM – The greatest width of the boat (from side to side).

DRAFT – The minimum Depth of water a boat can sail in. It is the

distance between the waterline and the bottom of the keel.

WINDWARD – Upwind or towards the direction from which the wind

is blowing from.

LEEWARD – Pronounced “loo-erd.” Downwind or the direction where

the wind is blowing to. Or, the side opposite that from which the

wind blows. A full sail is on the Leeward side. A sailboat will

HEEL or Lean to the Leeward side, where the sail is blown to.

5

Sails and Rigging

We will start at the bow of the boat and work to the back of the boat.

JIB – A triangular foresail located in the front of the mainsail. The top

of a jib is often fixed to the top or near the top of the mainsail mast.

GENOA (sometimes called a Genny) – A longer, lighter foresail, which

extends past the mast providing more sail area.

SPINNAKER – A very large lightweight, parachute-like sail, used on

racing boats when running downwind.

SPINNAKER POLE – A pole used to extend the foot of the spinnaker

beyond the edge of the boat.

WHISKER POLE – A pole, usually attached to the mast, used to hold

or push the Clew (bottom Corner) of the jib or genoa out when

sailing downwind.

MAST – A vertical pole or Spar used to attach the mainsail and boom.

MAINSAIL – The larger, main sail on a sailboat. It is usually located

slightly forward of the middle of a sailboat.

BATTENS – Long thin strips of plastic

inserted into pockets of the Leech

(back) of a sail, to support the sail

shape.

JIB SHEET – The rope or line that

controls the curve and tension of

the jib. Jib sheets usually run along

the front sides of the boat.

MAINSHEET – The rope or line that

controls the curve and tension of

the mainsail. Pull it in tighter and

closer when sailing upwind. Let the

mainsheet and mainsail out further

when sailing downwind.

At right is a Sheet wrapped around a

Winch (always clockwise)and

locked into a Cam Cleat.

6

BOOM – A horizontal pole or spar running perpendicular, at a right

angle, from the mast. It supports the bottom of the sail. It is

connected to the mainsheet, which is the block and line at the end of

the boom shown on the bottom right of the figure below. It swings

across the boat depending on the direction of the wind.

If you are not careful – it can go Boom on your head!

The Boom is connected to the Mainsheet (see block and line on right)

HALYARD – A line going to the top of the mast, used to Haul up or

raise a sail up the mast, sometime by means of a Block or fixed

pulley. Point the bow of the boat into the wind when hoisting a

sail! (Loosen Halyard a Little in Light wind for more curve in sail.)

WINCH – A mechanical device, usually consisting of a metal drum,

turned by an inserted handle, around which a line (such as a jib

sheet) is wound or hauled in. All winches rotate in only one

direction. Always wrap lines clockwise around a winch, from

bottom up. Typically, one to three wraps are necessary, using only

one wrap in a light wind. (A Winch Winds or Wraps lines.)

7

WINCH HANDLE – A ratchet device inserted into the top of a winch,

used to turn the winch to tighten a sheet as you trim a sail, or to pull

and wrap a halyard as you raise a sail.

GRINDING (winching in) – Turning the winch handle to sheet in (pull

in) a line, such as a Jib Sheet.

LINE – a rope used to sheet in or trim a sail, or to secure a boat or

something on a boat. Sailors say the word line instead of rope.

SHEET – A line used to trim a sail, such as a mainsheet or jib sheet. If

a sheet is loose the sail will flutter or Luff. (The ancients called it

scéatlíne or sheet-line, for the line to control the cloth sheet or sail.)

CRINGLE – a reinforced hole, grommet or metal ring in the top of a

sail (Head), the front bottom of a sail (Tack) or the back-bottom

Corner of a sail (Clew).

A Cringle/Clew on left. Outhaul on right.

OUTHAUL – A line connecting the Clew (a grommet in the back

bottom of a sail) to the outer edge of the boom. It hauls out (or

releases) the back of a sail, controlling the curve of its Foot (the

sail’s bottom). You often Loosen the outhaul in Light winds.

DOWNHAUL – A line attached to the Tack or front of a sail. It is used

to pull down and tighten the sail, to help flatten (or loosen) the sail

shape. Tighten the downhaul to move the Draft or belly or curve of

the sail forward in heavy winds to help slice through the wind.

8

CLEAT – A fitting to which lines are secured or Made Fast. The classic

deck cleat is anvil-shaped; it looks like small stubby bull horns.

Left: A Dock Line in a Flemish Coil and secured to a Deck Cleat

Right: Deck Cleat on top, Cam Cleat on bottom

CAM CLEAT – A device used to secure a mainsheet, jib sheet or other

line as it is pulled between two cams. The hard rubber cams have

small gear-like teeth to grip the line and hold it into place. However,

even when the line is locked in place, you can still pull the sheet out

to tighten the trim on the sail. Lift up to release the line and ease the

mainsheet or jib sheet.

A typical Sunfish with Mainsheet set in the Cam Cleat

9

Riddle: Where do you take a sick boat? (See last page)

Parts of a Sunfish

The Boom is connected to the bottom of the sail.

The Mainsheet is a line that controls the mainsail.

The Tiller is used to turn the Rudder which steers the boat.

The Daggerboard provides stability, keeps boat from drifting sideways.

(Only the top brown part of the daggerboard is seen in middle of boat.)

Riddle: What gets wetter the more it dries? (See last page)

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